


bake at 350 for 90 minutes

by croissantkatie



Category: Buzzfeed: Worth It (Web Series)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 00:38:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16964484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/croissantkatie/pseuds/croissantkatie
Summary: Snapshots of a relationship.Or: Andrew has a food blog.





	bake at 350 for 90 minutes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [doctor_denmark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctor_denmark/gifts).



> With thanks to p for initial proof reading, and f for betaing and character notes!

According to my good friend Rie (check out her amazing dessert blog here), as I am now officially a food blogger (I’m not sure what makes it official, I just went with it), I need to make my posts more personal and engaging. Add some details about my life, not just post a recipe. Don’t worry, I’m not going to start waxing poetic about how the fall reminds me of drinking mulled cider and falling leaves and how I feel this recipe captures that quintessential feeling. That’s really not me. But I’m going to try to talk a bit about why I decided to try making something, that sort of thing.

On with the show!

Work has been stressful recently and if there’s one thing I’ve found that helps me with stress, it’s taking out all of your frustrations on some bread dough. I tried boxing once, and personally, it was nowhere near as satisfying as kneading bread. Not sure why, maybe there’s something about how you produce something at the end which appeals to me more. It feels productive.

And there’s nothing that cheers me up more during a long work day than getting out a sandwich made with bread I’ve made.

So with that in mind, I set out to make a loaf which was packed with flavor but works with sandwich fillings, rather than completely overshadowing them. It also has an awesome crust from using steam in the oven. I’ve made three loaves already because I ate most of the first one as soon as it was cool enough to handle. When it’s survived long enough to be part of my lunches, I’ve been making goats cheese sandwiches with it. The herbs work so well with the goats cheese. I also think it would be a winner with chicken, very fresh and summery!

White Herby Loaf

***

Despite my protestations, my friend Adam insisted on setting me up with a friend of his. He thinks I’m spending too much time at work, and not enough time enjoying myself. For some reason, he thought a date would help with this. I agreed eventually, because Adam can be surprisingly persuasive whilst using very few words.

Loathe as I am to admit it, the date actually went quite well. He’s really nice and we got on really well. I think I’m going to see him again.

The point of this anecdote is that we went out for pasta and damn was it good. I haven’t had fresh pasta in ages, and I somehow forgot how great it was. So the obvious thing to do was to make some fresh pasta of my own.

This recipe isn’t a recreation of the dish I had - more inspired by it. It’s taking advantage of the fantastic summer produce available at the moment - tomatoes, zucchini, peppers. The sauce has just a touch of spice and it really allows the pasta to sing.

Homemade Pasta with Roasted Summer Vegetable Sauce

***

Fall is here. Leaves turning orange, warm knitwear, the feel of the nights drawing in and getting colder.

Except I live in LA so I don’t really get to do any of that.

Doesn’t mean I can’t eat some traditional fall food!

Which brings me to pumpkin spice. And I know pumpkin spice gets a bad rap sometimes, but I don’t care. It tastes good. And, if you mix your own pumpkin spice instead of buying a pumpkin pie spice mix, you can tweak it to be just right for you. The standard is a mix of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and nutmeg. Personally, I like a bit more ginger - gives it a bit more of a kick! Enjoy these with a nice mug of something warm and enjoy a bit of fall, even if the weather doesn’t feel like it.

Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

***

My friend Adam has been pestering me for some baked goods for weeks now. He claims I owe him for setting me up with his friend. I held out because one good date is not really deserving of a whole batch of cinnamon rolls. However, I was forced to give in after one good date turned into a succession of good dates.

And so, I made Adam his damn cinnamon rolls. I figured it was the least I could do for him setting me up with my boyfriend.

These buns are made with yeast, which I find really adds to the depth of flavor. Also worth noting that these freeze really well - so if you can’t manage to eat a whole batch, divide them up and put them in the freezer, then defrost in the microwave when you want a treat but can’t be bothered to do much! Perfect for Sunday mornings.

Cinnamon Rolls

***

I might not have the sweetest tooth, but my boyfriend certainly does. He makes these ridiculous puppy eyes and I end up making him whatever he wants. Sometimes I wonder if he’s just dating me for the baking.

These brownies are his absolute favorite, and I have to admit I’m rather fond of them too. They’re rich with dark cocoa and you can get a good combination of chewy parts and a gooey middle. I eat the chewy edges and he eats the gooey center. It works out rather well actually.

And because they’re made with ingredients I nearly always have in the cupboard, I can whip him up a batch whenever.

Ultimate Cocoa Brownies

***

This past week, it was my first anniversary and I wanted to do something special to mark the occasion. And what better way to show someone you love them than through food. I wanted to cook something special but I couldn’t work out what for ages. I eventually decided on homemade pasta. It seemed appropriate - our first date was at a pasta place we’re practically regulars at now.

Once I’d decided that, it was fairly simple to figure out what to do for the sauce. See, the thing is, my boyfriend absolutely loves truffle. If something on the menu at a restaurant has truffle in it, he will order it. He says it gives food the best kind of funk. And whilst I’m not sure that’s how I’d have put it, I have to agree.

I wasn’t able to test run this recipe as much as I wanted before our anniversary - he’s far too curious about what I’m cooking for me to get away with that! Despite that, I’m rather pleased with the results. It’s a rich and indulgent pasta sauce, and truffle is truly the star of the dish. It’s definitely a special occasion meal, but what’s life for if not good food.

(And before you ask, he loved it.)

Creamy Truffle Pasta


End file.
